The Big Three

COATINGS

What coatings processes are performed at Nottam Faber?

We utilize high performance primers, paints, powders and solid-film lubricants specified for the military, aerospace and commercial industries. Our coating systems protect parts from corrosion and environmental deterioration, enhance performance, durability and increase aesthetic value. The benefits, applications, and controlling standards of each coating system will be discussed in greater detail below.

Liquid Paint | Powder Coat | Dry/Solid Film Lubricant | Part Marking

Liquid Paint

What is prime & topcoat?

Primer and topcoat are applied through a three-step process: pretreatment, primer, and a finishing topcoat. Pretreatment provides a clean surface and improves primer adhesion. The primer promotes adhesion of a topcoat and acts as an inhibitor to corrosion and environmental attack. The topcoat is applied in several even and thin coats to accomplish desired thickness and aesthetic requirements.

Which prime and paint specifications do you meet?

The industry standard specifications for epoxy, polyurethane, and CARC coatings are provided within the adjacent drop-down list. For verification of compliance to other industry standards or specific requirements please email us at hello@nottam.com.    

What are the benefits of primer & topcoat applications?

Primer and topcoat applications offer part protection and enhance functionality, durability, and physical appearance. The benefits and applications of each coating system are provided below:

  • Benefit & Application Offer strong bonding capabilities which maintain integrity when exposed to harsh conditions for extended periods of time. Epoxy coatings are applied per MIL-PRF-23377 requirements

  • Benefit & Application Offer a smooth protective barrier to atmospheric elements such as moisture, salts, and UV light. MIL-DTL-85285 defines polyurethane coating requirements.

  • Benefit & Application High-gloss, smooth coatings of which provide unmatched aesthetic appearance and moderate protection against atmospheric corrosion and temperature.

  • Benefit & Application Formulated by the U.S. military to protect against chemical, biological, and nuclear attacks. CARC coatings are specified to meet MIL-DTL-53072 requirements.

  • Benefit & Application Provide oxidation and abrasion resistance in high impact and high heat environ-ments up to 1200°F.

  • Benefit & Application Provide a low coefficient of friction and high levels of corrosion resistance at ex-treme temperatures. Adding to the versatility of PTFE, the coating provides excel-lent insulation from electricity.

Powder Coat

What is powder coating?

Powder coating is performed by electrostatically applying the coating to a pretreated substrate and oven curing it for a specified amount of time. The process is recognized as being more environmentally friendly than other systems because of its lack of flammable solvents and its relative ease of containment during application. 

What are the benefits of powder coating?

Powder coating is one of the most versatile coatings in regard to performance. The durability, increased aesthetic value, and low coefficient of friction provided through powder coating promotes a broad range of industry and application use cases. Its demand ranges from commercial applications where aesthetics and longevity are of primary concern, to the aerospace & defense industry where the coating is applied for its’ resistance to oxidation, corrosion, humidity, galling, wear and drag. 

What specifications apply to powder coating?

MIL-PRF-24712 covers the application of powder coatings to interior and exterior steel, aluminum, copper-nickel and bronze surfaces with potential exposure to high humidity, seawater and weathering. The specification designates the following types of powder coating:

Type I Epoxy

Type II Epoxy polyester hybrid

Type III Polyester

Type IV Polyester Triglycedial Isocyanurate (TGIC)

Type V Polyester Urethane Hybrid

Type VI Acrylic

Powder Coating Types per MIL-PRF-24712

Type VII Acrylic Polyester Hybrid

Type VIII Acrylic Urethane Hybrid

Type XI Urethane

Type X Polyurethane

Type XI Vinyl

Type XII Nylon

Dry Film Lubricant (Solid Firm)

What is dry film lubricant?

Dry film lubricant (DFL) is a high-performance coating comprised of fine particles of lubricating agents, special binders, and additives. Once cured, the lubricating agents bond to the surface of the part and create a low-friction barrier against the atmosphere and mechanical wear.

What are the benefits of dry film lubricant?

The coating has many benefits to the aerospace world, but the greatest factor in selecting a DFL coating is its ability to reduce friction and increase the lifespan of components. DFL coatings reduce the amount of foreign particle buildup, potential for seizing, and the amount of wear on sliding or rotating components. 

As stated in the name, dry film lubricated surfaces are “dry”, which reduces maintenance needs and the potential for contamination and corrosion caused by oils and greases.   

Which DFL specifications does Nottam Faber comply with?

The industry standard which controls the pretreatment, application, and post-processing verification of  dry film lubricant coatings is MIL-PRF-46010. For a full review of compliance to other specifications please contact a member of our team at hello@nottam.com.

What materials may DFL coating be applied to?

DFL may be applied to many different materials, each with unique pretreatment requirements. The drop-down list below provides the material type along with the pretreatment required for each:

  • Anodize and seal surfaces per MIL-A-8625

  • Abrasive blast surfaces with clean dry sand

  • Anodize the surface per ASTM-D-1732

  • Abrasive blast with aluminum oxide and apply phosphate coating per MIL-DTL-16232 (Currently not performed)

  • Abrasive blast with aluminum oxide and passivate per ASTM A967

  • Abrasive blast with aluminum oxide and alkaline anodize (Currently not per-formed)

Part Making

Part marking could be simply defined as, “the permanent identification of critical information”.  Markings are commonly applied to items for the purpose of serialization or control identification, i.e., “launch”, “start”, “stop”. Other reasons for permanent markings include quality control, lot traceability, identification of nonconforming product, or final acceptance. In most cases the method, location and need for marking is defined in blueprint notes or within an applicable part specific procedure.

What part marking methods are offered at Nottam Faber?

The methods below range in sophistication and are designed to meet a wide range of customer needs.

  • A stencil composed of fine mesh outlined by a blocking emulsion is used to trans-fer ink onto the substrate. Ink is spread across the mesh while being restricted by the blocking stencil.

  • Utilizes a beam of concentrated light to create permanent identification on the surface. Fiber and CO2 laser sources control depth of imprint ranging from .0001” - .004”.

  • Permanent method of identification where engraved characters are filled with a contrasting ink, or paint, to enhance surface contrast.

  • Identifiers are impressed on the substrate in a prespecified location. Rubber stamping is commonly used to identify inspection status; acceptance, rejection, and sample conformance.